Circuit board mounted electrical connector systems typically include an electrical connector mounted on a printed circuit board. The connector is mateable with a complementary mating connector. The connector typically includes a dielectric housing mounting a plurality of conductive terminals. The terminals have tail portions for connection, as by soldering, to appropriate circuit traces on the printed circuit board. The tail portions may be surface connected to the circuit traces, or the tail portions may be inserted into holes in the printed circuit board for solder connection to circuit traces on the board and/or in the holes.
Most often, the board mounted connector is mateable with the mating connector in a mating direction generally perpendicular to the printed circuit board. In such instances, the tail portions of the connector terminals are inserted perpendicularly into the holes in the circuit board. In some instances, the connector, particularly the connector housing, is configured for mating with the mating connector in a mating direction at an acute angle to the circuit board. In these instances, the tail portions of the terminals are bent so that they, again, are inserted into the holes in the circuit board generally perpendicularly to the board.
Problems are encountered with certain connectors which are called “hybrid connectors” in that a single connector is used as a power connector, a signal connector, an RF connector or the like. In other words, a single connector housing may mount relatively small or thin signal or data terminals, along with more robust power or RF terminals. The problems occur when the hybrid connector is mounted on a printed circuit board in a mating direction at an acute angle to the board. While the thinner tail portions of the signal or data terminals can be easily bent for insertion perpendicularly into the holes in the circuit board, notwithstanding the angled orientation of the connector, it is quite difficult to bend the tail portions of the more robust power terminals, RF terminals or the like. Considerable added manufacturing costs are encountered in performing such operations. The present invention is directed to a system wherein a hybrid connector can be mounted on a printed circuit board with the tail portions of some terminals inserted perpendicularly into holes in the board while the tail portions of other terminals are inserted into slots in the circuit board while the tail portions still are at an acute angle relative thereto.